The latest Fear of God collection is an elegant ode to the civil rights movement

When I think about Fear of Godthe first thing that comes to my mind is a white sweatshirt with a huge print on the back that I bought on the Pacsun website exactly eight years ago. It was from the Los Angeles label’s budget Essentials line, and between the cost of the garment and customs fees, the hoodie cost me just over $100. A small amount, really, considering the status of Jerry Lorenzo’s brand in the dominant “hype culture” of the mid-2010s.

Today, a lot has changed: that hype-driven culture has changed, the author of this article has changed cities and a few jobs, and above all, the Fear of God and its place in global fashion has evolved dramatically. This is clear the moment I enter the building the brand has chosen to present its latest collection: a deconsecrated flying church on the outskirts of Milan, so grand and peaceful it feels like a set of film. Jerry Lorenzo is waiting for me, dressed in a long gray coat over a sweatshirt and sweatpants that fall loosely over his shoes. He remains the best possible model for the brand he created in 2013.

“The idea of ​​the collection is in continuity with what Fear of God has always been: the balance between being comfortable and relaxed and being elegant and sophisticated,” the designer explains to me as he walks me through the collection’s looks, which hold up. three boards near the entrance to the space. “I worked introspectively, looking inward and deep. Obviously, living in these times, surrounded by conflict, makes you want to speak directly. The more I delved into the theme of this collection, the more I realized that dressing at the time wasn’t about self-promotion, it was about self-preservation.”